


I don't love you but maybe I do

by hydrolics (orphan_account)



Category: Free!
Genre: I'm not happy with how it turned out but oh well!, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-02
Updated: 2014-12-02
Packaged: 2018-02-27 20:07:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2704940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/hydrolics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was during seventh grade when Haruka Nanase first fell in love. (For souharu week day 2)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I don't love you but maybe I do

First relationships weren't supposed to be serious. They were supposed to be filled with messy first kisses and fumbling around in the sheets before both parties decided that the relationship had ran it's track and amicably broke up, if they met again years later they would reminisce about their blunders and share a joke or two before returning to their new lover. Haruka's relationship with Yamazaki wasn't considered normal so if they did (and the certainly did) date then they wouldn't follow the status quo. They didn't even meet normally. There was no meeting after school in an empty classroom and stuttering out a love confession to the other nor was there any pining or longing states across the pool during competitions or joint practices.

The first time they met Yamazaki had cornered him in the locker room of Sano middle school and yelled at him for how sloppily he had swam against him. Haruka agreed with him but he was too stubborn to voice it out, something about Yamazaki pissed him off and he would've punched him in the face if Makoto hadn't intervened. The second time he had come all the way to Iwatobi and waited for him on the stone staircase leading to his house just to return his dolphin key chain. Talking about swimming techniques, eating the croquettes together, and most importantly talking about Rin's letter had cleared up the tension between them, Haruka was sure Yamazaki considered him a worthy rival just as he did. They had even begun acting civil with each other to Makoto's relief, really all they did was toss sarcastic comments at each other but at least they weren't tearing at each other's throats anymore. Yamazaki had taken to going to his house whenever he got a letter from Rin, whether is was out of kindness or wanting to rub it in Haruka’s face that he was the one Rin constantly wrote to he wasn’t sure. They would meet at the stairway leading to his house and walk the rest of the way there, maybe talk a little along the way. Haruka knew Yamazaki could just wait inside his house since the door was always unlocked but the last time he brought it up the boy chastised him, saying one day he'd come home to burgler or a kidnapper.

"Well if you just went ahead and waited in my house maybe you could scare them away, with a face like that you'd scare anybody."

Yamazaki had scowled at him and Haruka decided to push further, rialing up the taller boy was a great source of entertainment for him.

"Or since you're with me you could protect me if there were a robber in my house."

Yamazaki clicked his tongue in irritation and turned away from him, he was still scowling but it looked softer, a bit thoughtful even.

* * *

 

Somewhere, somehow something happened between them. Yamazaki gave way to Sousuke and Haruka was slipped into Nanase’s place, Sousuke started hanging around the pool after joint practices with Sano middle school just so he could with Haruka and walk him to train station. It wasn’t that they were denying that there was something between them it was just that naming whatever they had so soon would cause it to fall apart before they even had a chance to understand each other and their own relationship. Summer came and the constant sunshine melted the ice between them, they began to tease each other and the icey gap that was between them during the summer was bridged when Sousuke took Haruka’s sweaty hand into his. They were walking along the beach to Haruka’s house and a constant breeze blew from the ocean but that still didn’t cool the heat that had bloomed in his chest nor the tiny smile that curled on his cheeks. Haruka wasn’t alone though, despite turning his head to the side Haruka could still see the faint red on the apple of Sousuke’s cheeks and how they were pulled into his own little smile. Maybe what they had could be called...love?


End file.
